Nursery World - Diabetes facts

What is diabetes? * With diabetes, the amount of glucose (sugar) in the blood is too high because the body cannot use it properly.

* With diabetes, the amount of glucose (sugar) in the blood is too high because the body cannot use it properly.

* In Type 1 ('juvenile-onset'), the body does not produce the hormone insulin, which helps the glucose enter the cells, where it is used as fuel by the body. The insulin-producing cells (beta cells) have been destroyed by the body's immune system. Type 1 is usually first diagnosed in people under 40, and is treated with insulin injections.

* In Type 2 ('adult-onset), the body does not produce enough insulin, or the insulin it produces does not work properly. Type 2 is treated by diet and exercise alone, or with tablets and, sometimes, insulin.

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